Quiz
Research Methods
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Questions in this quiz (35)
1First, we are going to through Factors influencing choice of methods. Practical Issues: What is the factor influencing choice, when large scale survey may employ dozens of interviews and data-inputting staff and cost a great deal of money. But then in contrast, a small scale project involving a lone researcher using observations that may be cheaper to carry out, but take several years to complete.
- ARequirements of funding bodies
- BReliability
- CTime and money
2Requirements of funding body is research institutes, businesses and other organisations that provide the funding for research may require the results to a particular form
- ATrue
- BFalse
3Sociologists have different skills and this may affect their ability to use different methods. E.g, [blank_start]participant observation[blank_end] usually requires the ability to mix easily with others and good powers of observation and recall. Not all sociologists have these qualities and so some may have difficulty using these methods
- Aparticipant observation
- Bskills
- Csociologists
4What is meant by subject matter?
- AA sociologist can only study what they specialise in.
- Ba male sociologist may find it harder to observe a group of all girls using a participant observation.
5A research opportunity is when the sociologist stands outside and waits for people to walk past.
- ATrue
- BFalse
6Ethical Issues: Moral Issues of right and wrong.
What is informed consent?- Asomeone has said yes to participate in research
- Bsomeone who has had all the information and then made a decision whether to participate.
7A research can talk all about the participant's identity to people who are interested in the research.
- ATrue
- BFalse
8Do researchers have to think about whether the participants get harmed or is it their own responsibility?
- ANeed to be aware of the possible effects of their work on those they study. e.g police interventions, harm to employment prospects, social exclusions etc.
- BNo, the participant has agreed to do the research therefore agreed to the consequences. If anything bad happens it's the participant's problem.
9Vulnerable groups are people who need extra [blank_start]attention[blank_end] and thought. These groups are like children, those with learning/physical disabilities. When researching children in schools, researchers should have regard for issues of child protection. Obtain consent of both child and parents. Provide info in a language the child can easily understand.
- Aattention
- Bcare
- Clove
10What is covert research?
- AWhen research is a long process and so the research has to change the participants in intervals to make sure that they do not get frustrated and tired with the long investigation.
- BWhen researcher's identity and research purpose are hidden from the participants.
11Theoretical Issues: refers to questions about what we think society is like and whether we can obtain accurate, truthful picture of it. Our views on these issues will affect the kinds of methods we favour using.
Validity - [blank_start]true or genuine[blank_end] picture of what something is really like.- Atrue or genuine
12What is reliability?
- AA replica is an exact copy of something, so a reliable method is one which, when repeated by another researcher gives the same results.
- BWhen you can trust the researcher you can trust the research.
13Representativeness is when ?
- Athe research represents the participants
- BWhen the people we study is a typical cross section of the group we are interested in.
14Positivist - prefer quantitative, seek to discover patterns of behaviour and see sociology as a science.
Interpretivists - prefer qualitative data, seek to understand social actors' meanings and reject the view that sociology can model itself on the natural sciences.- ATrue
- BFalse
15Factors influencing choice of topic -
The sociologists perspective is where their opinions and beliefs influence their choice of topic to research. A feminist for example is more likely to choose domestic violence to research where as a New Right researcher may choose to study the effects of welfare benefits on the growth of lone parent families.- ATrue
- BFalse
16Society's values is all about the idea that as society changes so do it's values and so the researcher is influenced by these values.
- ATrue
- BFalse
17Practical factors is like the inaccessibility of certain situations to the researcher, may also restrict what topic they are able to study.
- ATrue
- BFalse
18Funding bodies are a factor because the researcher has to follow instructions by them. It will determine the topic to be investigated.
- ATrue
- BFalse
19The process of research - Formulating an aim or hypothesis - most studies have a general aim or specific hypothesis. Hypothesis is a possible explanation that can be tested by collecting [blank_start]evidence to prove it true or false.[blank_end]
- Aevidence to prove it true or false.
- BInformation for the research.
20What is the advantage of hypothesis?
- AIt gives the research a point of view
- BIt gives the research a direction. Gives a focus to our questions, since their purpose is to gather information that will either confirm or disprove our hypothesis.
21Who favours hypothesis and why?
- AInteractionalists - It gives the research a guideline on what to ask people.
- BPositivists - seek to discover cause and effect relationships
22The advantage of an aim is that it gives the research a point.
- ATrue
- BFalse
23Operationalising Concepts - What do you need to do before we test a hypothesis?
- Aneed a working or 'operational' definition of key ideas.
- BEat cake with the participants of research to get to know them.
24The pilot study - Sociologists who use [blank_start]social surveys[blank_end] often carry out a pilot study before conducting their main survey.
- Asocial surveys
25Young and Willmott (1962) carried out just over 300 pilot interviews to help them decide on the design of their study, the questions to ask and how to word them.
- ATrue
- BFalse
26A sample is a smaller sub- group drawn from the wider group that we are interested in.
- ATrue
- BFalse
27What is a sample frame?
- AA basis of sampling so we would need a sample size of 10 to 50 for example.
- BA list of all the members of the population we are interested in studying.
28A random sample is - sample selected purely on chance.
Quasi-random or systematic sampling - where every nth person in the sampling frame is selected.
Stratified random sampling - researcher first stratifies the population in the sampling frame by age, class, gender etc. The sample is then created in the same proportions. e.g - if 20% of the population are under 18, then 20% of the sample also have to be under 18.
Quota sampling - population is stratified as above and then each interviewer is given a quota of say, twenty females and twenty males, which they have to fill with respondents who fit these characteristics. The interviewer keeps at this task until their quota.- ATrue
- BFalse
29Experiments - Reliability Once an experiment has been conducted, other scientists can replicate it. They can repeat it exactly in every detail. So, it is highly reliable.
- ATrue
- BFalse
30Practical problems - What is it impossible to identify let alone control?
- Aall the possible variables that might exert influence on, say, a child's educational achievement or a worker's attitude to work.
- Bthe factors that are part of the experiment
31You can conduct experiments about the past. It is possible to control variables that were acting in the past.
- ATrue
- BFalse
32Can you take large samples in experiments?
- ANo
- BYes
- CUhhh, come again?
33The ethical problems in experiments are things like the [blank_start]lack of consent[blank_end]. Researcher's need this to conduct the research. However, vulnerable groups like children and those with learning difficulties may not be able to give their's that is fully informed as they may not understand the nature of the experiment.
Another ethical issue is [blank_start]deception[blank_end]. It is wrong to mislead people as to the nature of the experiment.
[blank_start]Harm[blank_end] can occur in experiments also.- Alack of consent
- Bconfidentiality
- Cdeception
- Dlying
- EHarm
- FBias
34If the environment the research is taking place in is not a normal or natural environment then the people taking part may also not act naturally. This is called the Hawthorne effect.
- ATrue
- BFalse
35Interpretivists argue that humans are fundamentally different from rocks, plants and other phenomena studied by natural scientists. Unlike these objects, we have [blank_start]free will, consciousness and choice.[blank_end]
- Afaces
- Bbrains, hearts, and limbs
- Cfree will, consciousness and choice
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- A level Sociology Quiz on Research Methods , created by Roni Brindley on 04/02/2018.
- Author
- Roni Brindley
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- English
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